‘Doesn’t make any responsible comment’: Smriti Irani responds to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of Budget 2021
Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said that nobody takes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s comments seriously. Speaking on India TV's special show Budget Sammelan 2021, Irani who emerged as a giant killer in Amethi when she defeated Rahul in the 2019 general elections said, "What Rahul Gandhi says should not be taken seriously."
"Neither economists pay attention to what he says, nor should you," she said.
Responding to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's tweet, Irani asked, "I want to ask both Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi to discuss any one specific issue. The fact is that they don't make any responsible comment ever."
Earlier on Monday, Rahul, Tharoor and other Congress leaders criticised the Budget which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Rahul in a tweet slammed the Centre for not providing cash transfers to the poor in the Budget and accused it of planning to give the country's assets to a few capitalists.
Tharoor too said slammed the budget. He tweeted: "This BJP government reminds me of the garage mechanic who told his client, 'I couldn't fix your brakes, so I made your horn louder'."
Irani said that the Budget should not be seen from a narrow point of view. "I am unable to understand why the Opposition is complaining when the Budget has not put any new burden on the aam aadmi," the Union Minister sought to know.
READ MORE: Build bridges, not walls: Rahul Gandhi on border security amid farmers' protest
On Mamata Banerjee's criticism of the Budget, she said, "I want to ask her if she was so worried the poor and aam aadmi, why West Bengal has not implemented Ayushman Bharat scheme till now."
Notably, the Centre backed healthcare that provides free access to healthcare for over 50 crore poor and vulnerable people in the country. The scheme is not implemented in West Bengal.
READ MORE: No prestige issue, Rahul Gandhi should offer solution, if he has: Nitin Gadkari on farmers protest
